12th Arab Energy conference/ Minister of State for Energy Affairs Calls for Formulating Realistic Vision for Fair, Sustainable Energy Transition
Doha, December 11 (QNA) - HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs Eng. Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi called for enhanced efforts to address challenges and achieve complementarity among Arab countries to support their economic growth.
In a keynote speech opening the 12th Arab Energy Conference, organized by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), HE Minister Al Kaabi said: "The changes around us require that we give priority to addressing the energy security challenge and to strengthening our joint action and complementary efforts to support the economic growth of our countries. While the global energy map is evolving in light of these changes, the State of Qatar stresses the importance of strengthening cooperation between Arab countries to secure a promising future for us and for the coming generations."
HE Minister Al Kaabi called for greater investments in energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies in conjunction with adopting renewable energy sources.
"Qatar has taken bold strategic decisions, investing tens of billions of dollars in the LNG industry, at a time when many doubted the feasibility of such investments. Our decision at the time was based on a realistic understanding of market fundamentals and efforts to reduce global carbon emissions. As a result, we embarked on implementing our plans to raise our LNG production from the current 77 million tons per annum to 126 million tons by 2026," His Excellency added.
In his opening speech, His Excellency Minister Al Kaabi stressed the "urgent need to formulate a realistic and scientifically based vision for a fair, balanced, and sustainable energy transition", and for helping the needs of about one billion people around the world who have no access to basic electricity, which we all enjoy every day.
His Excellency also addressed the pivotal role of solar energy in the efforts to provide renewable and sustainable sources of energy in the Arab world, saying: "There is no doubt that our Arab countries are well positioned to develop the use of solar energy, especially because of their geographical location that provides an abundance of solar energy. Therefore, we have the responsibility to develop greater energy efficiency in the Arab world, in addition to strengthening legislative and regulatory frameworks to support a balanced energy transition."
HE Minister Al Kaabi concluded his remarks by praising the role of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) in organizing this conference and in keeping an eye on global energy market developments and their repercussions on member states, in supporting efforts to develop the energy industry, and in adopting modern technologies that support a partnership between the various components of the energy mix towards a low-carbon future, stressing the State of Qatar's support of all efforts to enhance Arab energy cooperation. His Excellency also thanked the State of Kuwait, OAPEC's host country, for sparing no effort to ensure the success of the organization's work.
From his part, HE Secretary General of OAPEC Eng. Jamal Issa Al Loughani noted that the conference will address international developments in energy markets and their implications locally and globally. Given the connection of the energy industry with the environment and its impact on sustainable development in the Arab region and around the world, the conference sessions program ensured discussing them from various aspects.
His Excellency explained, in his speech, that these issues require dealing with awareness and understanding in the context of reality. "I believe that the conference provides a good opportunity to achieve this by bringing together planners and implementers of energy policy, and the distinguished elite who have acquired the know-how, expertise and experience, both in our Arab and global institutions". His Excellency.
OAPEC's Secretary General clarified that Arab oil and gas producers and exporters face many challenges in the future, namely, how to build sustainable and reliable energy systems. This requires a careful balance between different goals, such as emission reduction, energy availability and affordability, as well as energy security.
His Excellency also noted that many of the Arab countries are implementing international standards to maintain a pollution-free environment and are using technologies that will produce quality fuel and energy with low emissions, so there is no way to link a zero-emission environment with the consumption of fossil fuels, especially oil and gas.
His Excellency confirmed that the exploitation of hydrocarbon resources with emission controls through clean technologies will undoubtedly enhance the world's potential to reach the desired zero net neutrality by 2050. Thus, these sources will be part of the solution towards a balanced, gradual and responsible transition towards more sustainable energy sources in a way that takes into account the national circumstances and priorities of each country.
The Secretary General of OAPEC stated that the transition to a circular carbon economy offers opportunities that enable the development of new energy systems based on innovation and technologies that use all energy sources while achieving sustainable development goals and tackling climate change. In this context, Arab countries are making significant efforts in the area of circular carbon economy by deploying carbon capture, use and store technology.
According to His Excellency, Arab countries have also sought to exploit renewable energies in electricity generation. There is an Arab Strategy for Sustainable Energy 2030, and another strategy for the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Arab electricity interconnection projects have also received great attention at the highest executive levels.
The Arab Energy Conference is held once every four years, and discusses topics related to Arab and global energy sources, petroleum industries, Arab cooperation in the field of electricity, and energy demand management in Arab countries, as well as energy, environmental and sustainable development issues. (QNA)
